Gas generator



OHNSON ET AL 1,831,866

GAS GENERATOR Filed July 26, 1927 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 17 J Jakrzavrt M W: gwue'ntou A512. il mZMce Nov. 17, 1931. H. .1. JOHNSON ET AL 1,831,866

GAS GENERATOR- Filed July 28, 1927 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 .21. 71 Jakizd'wp t 51]! WZZa-ce Nov. 17, 1931. H. J. JOHNSON ET AL GAS GENERATOR Filed July 28, i927 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Z2. J (Tamara M Wcfakizdaia A11 fmllaca Nov. 17, 1931. H. .1. fi'oHNsoN EiTAL GAS GENERATOR Filed July 28, 1927 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 ii J @70707t6070 M WJOkm807v amen tow All? fl aZZwe flfliomup,

Patented Nov. 17, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT; OFFICE HENRY J. Jomfsorr, MARY w. .romvs on, AND SAMUEL r. WALLACE, or riannronr,

. ILLINOIS GAS GENERATOR Application flled .l'uly 28, 1927. Serial No. 209,043.

This invention has reference to a gas male ing apparatus, the primary object of the 1n- I vention being to provide a multiple unitstructure so designed thatv the capacity of the apparatus may be increased or diminished 11) is to provide an apparatus of this character which" is automatic in its operation, and one wherein the gas will flow from the machine when the valves of the burners are turned to release the gas to be burned.

A still further object of the invention is to provide an apparatus of this character wherein the gasoline used in the production of the gas, is fed from the supply tanks to the carbureting tanks, from the bottoms of the supply tanks, to the end that the entire quantity of gasoline in the tanks'may be utilized.

Another important object of the invention is to provide wick carriers, the wick carriers being so constructed that the wicks supported thereby will be held in such relation with the liquid or gasoline in the carburetor tanks as to insure a circulation of air around the wicks.

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed, may be made within the scope of what is claimed, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

. Referring to the drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a gas making apparatus constructed in accordance with the invention. A

Figure 2 is a through the air tank forming a part of the invention.

Figure 3 is a plan View of one of the units, a portion of one end of the unit being broken away.

Figure 4. is a plan view of a unit, the opposite end thereof being broken away.

Figure 5is a longitudinal sectional view through one of the units or carburetor tanks.

Figure 6 is a sectional view taken on line 66 of Figure 4.

Figure 7 is a fragmental perspective view illustrating a wick carrier and wicks supported thereon.

Figure 8 is a vertical sectional view through one of the liquid seals employed in the pipe line.

Figure 9 is a sectional View taken on line 9-9 of Figure 8.

Figure 10 is a diagram illustrating the switch control.

Referring to the drawings in detail, the apparatus embodies a plurality of units indicated generally by the reference character 5, the units being arranged in series so that in the manufacture of gas, the air enters one unit and passes through all of the units before passing from the apparatus in the form of gas.

As shown, each unit embodies a box-like structure having a gasoline inlet opening normally closed by means of the float controlled valve 6. Each unit is also provided with gas inlet and outlet openings the gas inlet and outlet openings at one of the re- I spective ends of the units being supplied with elbows 7 the elbows 7 at the discharge end of the last unit of the apparatus being in communication with the pipe. 7 which pipe is in communication with the burners, not shown, to supply gas thereto.- At the rear ends of the units are pipes 9 that establish communication between the units permitting. gas to passv from one, unit to another.

As clearly shown by Figures 3 and 4 of the drawings, partitioning members 8 are provided, the partitioning members being r r disposed transversely of the carburetor tanks vertical sectlonal View and arranged in predetermined spaced relation with each other, the lower edges of the partitioning members 8 lying in spaced relation with the bottom walls of the carburetor tanks, the partitioning members having alternate ends cut away as at 9 so that the air passits ing through the carburetor tanks to mix with the vapors rising from the gasoline in the tanks passes through the entire area of the tanks.

At the forward end of each tank is a compartment 10 or feed compartment in which the gasoline is discharged from the supply tanks from where it passes to the compartments of the carburetor tanks, there being provided a float 11 in each feed compartment for cont-rolling the level of gasoline therein and insuring against the tanks being flooded to impair the operation of the apparatus.

The supply tanks are indicated by the reference character 12, and feed gasoline to the feed compartments of the carburetor tanks through the pipes 13, which communicate with the supply tanks 12 at points adjacent to the bottoms thereof, to the end that the gasoline is drawn off from the bottoms of the tanks to insure against the lighter and more volatile gases being drawn off from the tanks, leaving a liquid having a low degree of volatility unfit for the production of gas.

Arranged within the compartments of the carburetor tanks are wick carriers, which embody end members 14 which are of widths equal to the widths or spaces between the partitions 8 to the end that the wick carriers, will be held in upright positions at all times.

Spaced bars 16 connect the end members 14, the spaced bars acting as supports for the wicks 17 that are folded around the bars 16, as clearly shown by Figure 7, the ends of the Wicks however being spaced from the'end members 14 providing spaces for the gases to pass through the wick compartments.

The carburetor tanks or units are arranged in series so that air fed to one of the tanks will be passed through all of the tanks of the apparatus to mingle with the vapors arising therefrom before it finally passes to the discharge pipe 7. The tanks are further sup ported one above the other, one tank resting on the adjacent lower tank, exposing the pipe connections at the ends of the lower tank.

Air is fed to the apparatus through the pipe 18 that is in communication with the air tank 19, through the pipes 20 and 21, the connection between the pipes 20 and 21 being made through the liquid seal 22, which includes a separable body portion, the lower portion thereof having an upstanding pipe portion 23 and an inverted cup 24 fitted over the pipe portion 23, and guided by the ribs 22 to the end that any back pressure in this pipe will be trapped, and will be excluded from the pipe leading to the air tank 19.

' This air tank 19 includes an upper section 25 and a lower section 26, the upper section 25 being of a diameter less than the diameter of the section 26 so that it may move longitudinally of the member 26 unrestricted.

Guide rods 27 are carried by the lower section 26, the upper section 25 having lateral guides 28 formed with openings supplied with ball bearings 28 to receive the rods 27, the guides being designed to contact with the coiled springs 29 when the upper section reaches the limit of itsdownward movement, thereby placing the springs 29 under tension to impart the initial movement to the upper section of the tank when the air passing into the tank through the pipe 30, passes into the upper section of the air tank.

The pipe 30 is in communication with the blower 31 which is operated by a suitable electric motor controlled by the switch 32 actuated by the rod 32' having lateral extensions 33 to be engaged by the guide member 28 when the upper section 25 reaches its lowermost position, thereby moving the switch to complete the circuit to the motor and cause the motor to operate the fan 31 supplying air to the air tank.

When the upper section of the air tank reaches the limit of its upward movement, the switch is again operated to cut off the motor and consequently stop the pump.

In order to insure against air from the tank passing through the air pipe to the pump, or to location within the building in which the pump is positioned, aliquid seal trap 33 is provided in the pipe line.

The pipe 34 indicates the gas discharge pipe of the apparatus and which is in communi cation with burners to supply gas thereto for various purposes.

In the operation of the device, the motor isset in motion when the upper section 25 of tank 19 reaches the predetermined limit of its downward movement which operates the switch'to the motor.

The fan being connected with the motor operates to force air into the u per section 25 of the tank, where it passes from the tank through pipe 20 and into pipe 18 from where it passes to one of the carburetor tanks or units of the apparatus. It follows that as the air passes through the carburetor tanks in its baffled path of travel, thegasoline vapors are picked up by contact with the air passing through the apparatus, producing a carbureted air gas which is carried off through suitable burners not shown through the pipe 34 which is in communication with the last carburetor tank of the apparatus.

It will be seen that due to the construction shown and described, that should it be desired to increase the capacity of the apparatus, it is only necessary to add another unit or as many units as desired, by placing the added units on the units or carburetor tanks already in use, and merely connecting up the pipes to these units to complete the apparatus.

We claim: I

1. A gas making apparatus including carburetor tanks, each tank having a feed compartment, means for controlling the passage of gasoline into the feed compartment of each tank, partitions dividing the tanks into wick compartments, wick frames mounted in the wick compartments, wicks on the wick frames and supported in spaced relation with the top of the tanks to provide passageways, means for forcing air through the passageways in the formation of carbureted air gas, and discharge pipes for the tanks.

2. A gas making apparatus including carbureter tanks, partitions in the tanks for dividing the tanks into wick compartments, wick frames mounted within the wick frames, each wick frame comprising spaced upper and lower bars, heads at the ends of the bars, said heads being of widths to closely fit between the partitions to hold the wick frames in upright positions, wicks on the wick frames for delivering gasoline fumes to the upper portions of the tanks, discharge pipes for the tanks, and means for forcing air over the sections to form gas.

3. A gas making apparatus including carbureter tanks of equal sizes, said tanks being superposed and resting on each other, the ends of one tank being spaced beyond the ends of the adjacent lower tank, exposing portions of the adjacent lower tank, pipes extending into the exposed portions of the tank to feed material to the tanks, means for delivering gasoline to the tanks, means for forcing air through the tanks to pick up the fumes rising from the gasoline therein, means for establishing communication between the tanks, and a discharge pipe for discharging gas from the apparatus.

In testimony that we claim the foregoing as our own, we have hereto affixed our signatures.

HENRY J. JOHNSON. MARY W. JOHNSON. SAMUEL P. WALLACE. 

